These Are America's Most And Least "Taxing" States (And Everything Inbetween)

One of the most consistent debates emanating out of Washington in the past 6 years has been that dealing with income tax. Whether high, low, "fair" or "unfair", said discussions, however, focus solely on tax paid at the Federal level, and largely ignore that "other" key tax: state. Which is surprising, considering some states such as California demand a total contribution amounting to a third of the highest marginal Federal tax bracket, which could make some wonder if those bracing sea breezes are really worth it. But what about the other states? Here is the full breakdown of the states with the top income tax rates, those with the lowest, and all the states inbetween.

As Bloomberg reports citing Tax Foundation data, as of Jan. 1, nine states don't levy income tax on wages, and eight have a flat tax. Brackets in which taxes kick in differ by state, as do exemptions.

Here are the highest "taxing" states in the US:

California 13.3%

Hawaii 11%

Oregon 9.9% (a, b)

Minnesota 9.85%

Iowa 8.98% (b)

New Jersey 8.97% (a)

Vermont 8.95% (tie)

Washington, D.C. 8.95% (tie)

New York 8.82% (a, c)

Maine 7.95%

a) Local income taxes are excluded.b) Allows "some or all federal income tax paid to be deducted from state taxable income," according to the Tax Foundation.c) The Tax Foundation notes that New York has "'tax benefit recapture, by which many high-income taxpayers pay their top tax rate on all income, not just on amounts above the bracket threshold.”

a) Local income taxes are excluded.b) Allows "some or all federal income tax paid to be deducted from state taxable income," according to the Tax Foundation. c) Tax applies to interest and dividend income only.(d) of federal taxable income

And all the other ones, sorted alpabetically:

Alabama has the lowest state and local property tax collections per person, though it's one of seven states that don’t provide a sales tax break for groceries. It doesn't give beer drinkers a break, either, imposing the nation’s third-highest beer excise tax, at $1.05 per gallon. Taxes get complicated for same-sex couples in Alabama. Because the state doesn't recognize their unions, couples must each file single state income tax returns and apportion their joint income according to a ratio.

At least one obsolete tax law remains on the books here -- a tax for Confederate veterans of the Civil War. The tax now supports the Confederate Memorial Park, which includes a museum.

Alaska gets significant income from corporate taxes, mostly from the oil-and-gas industry. The state collects high revenue per person -- $19,686 in 2012, according to the Tax Foundation -- without collecting income, state sales tax or inheritance tax. Alaska's average local sales tax rate is 1.69 percent.

Property taxes, however, at $2,076 per person, are relatively high. And while a full day on a fishing boat or oil rig will likely put many of the state’s residents in the mood for a cold one, Alaska’s beer excise tax is the second-highest in the nation, at $1.07 per gallon.

With a comparatively low income tax, Arizona relies heavily on other levies. It gets a little more than 70 percent of its state and local tax collections from property tax and general sales taxes. Still, its tax revenue is lower than other states' -- it collects $4,812 per capita (as of 2011), ranking 49th out of 50.

Arizona doesn't recognize the marriage of same-sex couples. The state instructs those who file joint federal returns to file state income tax returns as single filers and then requires an additional form to determine how to allocate joint income from the federal return.

Arkansas has the sixth-lowest state and local revenue per capita, according to the Tax Foundation. More than 60 percent of state and local tax collections come from general sales tax, individual income tax and corporate income tax. Arkansas does not recognize same-sex marriage and requires single returns from both members of same-sex couples.

Living in a place that's home to Hollywood, the Golden Gate Bridge, beaches and mountain ranges comes at a price, and this includes higher taxes. California’s top income tax rate is 12.3 percent for up to $1 million in income, and then jumps to 13.3 percent, the highest in the nation. The state’s sales tax rate (not including local sales taxes) is also the highest in the nation, as is the state gas tax rate, at 52.5 cents per gallon.

Tax season is a little easier here for same-sex married couples than in many other states. Since California recognizes same-sex marriage, couples don't have to use different or additional forms to determine how much state tax is due.

*There is an additional 1 percent tax on income over $1 million, bringing the top rate to 13.3 percent.

Of the 44 states that levy an individual income tax, Colorado's is sixth lowest, according to the Tax Foundation. Colorado made history in 2012 as one of the first two states to legalize recreational adult marijuana use, and now the state is raking in cash from taxing pot. It imposes a 15 percent excise tax on recreational marijuana and marijuana-related products and a general 2.9 percent sales tax. And that might not be all, depending on where the stuff is purchased -- localities may enact their own special taxes. Recreational marijuana sales brought in $2 million in taxes in January, and state officials expect steady revenue patterns to develop by April.

*Flat rate

Connecticut has the third-highest state gasoline tax in the country, behind California and New York, at 49.3 cents per gallon. It’s generally a high-tax jurisdiction, which is evident from its “tax freedom day,” representing how long a person would have to work into the year to have earned enough to pay all federal, state and local taxes. Connecticut has the latest such day of all states -- May 13, according to the Tax Foundation. Those high taxes also come with the highest income per capita -- $60,847 in 2013, according to preliminary numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Connecticut is one of 13 states that tax Social Security income.

*Exemption is $2 million.

Delaware’s top individual income tax rate was scheduled to decrease in 2014, but state officials decided to keep the rate at 6.6 percent to plug a budget shortfall. For 2012, the state had the seventh-highest individual income tax collections per person, at $1,307. It also ranks as one of the highest per capita collectors of corporate income tax, placing fifth at $288 per person.

*Exemption is $5.34 million.

Retirees and millionaires have good reason to flock to Florida, since it has no personal income tax, inheritance tax or estate tax. Still, the state is projected to have more money to play with this year after state economists forecast a $1.2 billion budget surplus, thanks in part to increased sales tax revenue. Governor Rick Scott has proposed using some of the surplus to cut $500 million in taxes and fees.

It’s cheaper to buy cigarettes in Georgia than in most of the rest of the U.S., because Georgia’s cigarette taxes rank 47th out of 50, at $0.37 per 20-pack. But not all sin taxes are equal here. It’s a little more expensive, in tax terms, to drink beer and wine than in other states. Georgia’s wine excise tax is $1.51 per gallon (eighth in the nation), while its beer excise tax is $1.01 per gallon (fourth nationwide). Want to drink and still pay lower taxes here? Choose spirits, which are taxed at $3.79 and rank 34th-highest in the country.

Hawaii has the second-highest top income tax rate in the country, after California. It's one of the few states that tax net capital gains at below the top income tax rate -- they’re taxed at 7.25 percent. It's one of seven that impose the full sales tax rate on groceries. Hawaii’s combined state and local sales tax rate of 4.35 percent places it near the bottom of the pack.

*Exemption is $5.34 million.

The Idaho State Tax Commission is among the states reminding consumers this year that all of those Internet purchases on which they didn't pay sales tax weren't tax-free -- consumers owe a 6 percent use tax to the state when the goods are used in Idaho. Consumers must include this in their income tax returns, but since these taxes are notoriously difficult to track and collect, whether they pay up is another story. Idaho is one of seven states that don't offer a sales tax break for groceries.

Illinois’s income tax rate is slated to drop to 3.75 percent in January, but Governor Pat Quinn has proposed making a 2011 income tax hike permanent that would keep the current 5 percent rate. The debate could spill over into the governor’s reelection season.

*Flat rate ; **Exemption is $4 million.

Amazon began collecting Indiana’s 7 percent sales tax on Hoosiers’ purchases on its site this January. Indiana was originally supposed to phase out its inheritance tax over 10 years beginning in 2013, but instead the state repealed the tax for people dying after Dec. 31, 2012. In coming years businesses could pay less in taxes, too. Governor Mike Pence signed legislation in March that includes a provision that will gradually reduce corporate income taxes in Indiana to 4.9 percent in 2023. Indiana’s current corporate income tax rate is 7.5 percent, but that is scheduled to decrease on July 1 to 7 percent.

*Flat rate

The top bracket of Iowa’s state income tax reaches 8.98 percent at $68,175 in 2014. The state phased out its tax on Social Security income in 2014. If you want to raise a toast in celebration, it’ll cost you: Iowa has some of the highest excise tax rates on table wine and spirits, according to the Tax Foundation and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

A potential gas tax increase, intended to pay for transportation infrastructure, has been percolating in the Iowa Legislature this session, but nothing had passed as of mid-April.

Note: Spouse, lineal-ascendant and lineal-descendant transfer is tax-free; sibling or child-in-law transfer is taxed at 5 percent to 10 percent; all other transfers are taxed at 10 percent to 15 percent.

A few years ago Kansas enacted sweeping tax cuts. Recently, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington-based group that supports programs that assist the poor, released a study citing Kansas' experience as a cautionary tale for other states. "As other states recover from the recent recession and turn toward the future, Kansas's huge tax cuts have left that state's schools and other public services stuck in the recession, and declining further," the report said.

The Sunflower State is one of 13 that tax Social Security Income; an exemption applies to Social Security income received by taxpayers with annual federal adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less. Kansas does not recognize same-sex marriage, so for income tax purposes that means same-sex couples who file a federal joint return must allocate their income on two separate single returns using a state-provided schedule.

The Bluegrass State may cater more to jockeys than car drivers. Kentucky ranks 16th among the states on gas tax, making drivers pay 30.8 cents per gallon. The gas tax has been largely debated this legislative season, with some legislators proposing to raise it to pay for transportation projects. ??

Note: Spouse, parent, lineal-descendant and sibling transfer is tax-free; aunts, nieces, nephews, and child in-law transfer is taxed at 4 percent to 16 percent with a $1,000 exemption; all other transfers are taxed at 6 percent to 16 percent with a $500 exemption.

The home of “Duck Dynasty” has long been a destination for sportsmen and partiers. Visitors should be prepared to be taxed heavily on their fun. Louisiana’s state and local sales tax rate of 8.89 percent is third-highest of the states. That doesn’t mean the state is rolling in dough: Its general sales tax collections per person in 2012 were $614, putting Louisiana in 37th place. Its income tax can be burdensome for same-sex married couples. It requires them to each fill out pro forma single federal returns and then use that information on their single state returns.

Maine recognizes same-sex marriage, so any married couple there can file a joint state tax return. The state’s cigarette excise tax is $2 per 20-pack, making it the 11th-highest cigarette excise tax in the country. Maine imposes a 5.5 percent state sales tax on medical marijuana, but the 7 percent tax rate on prepared food applies if the herb is baked into brownies.

*Exemption is $2 million.

Maryland and New Jersey are the only states with both an estate tax and an inheritance tax. This year Maryland is expected to enact significant changes to its estate tax that will increase the exemption amount. The current $1 million exemption would be gradually increased over five years to match the federal government’s exemption amount, which is now $5.34 million, and is indexed for inflation.

The General Assembly had a recent brush with Hollywood when "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey visited Annapolis to persuade lawmakers to increase the Netflix show’s subsidy for its third season. The show is set in the District of Columbia, but much of it is filmed in Maryland.

Note: Spouse, lineal-descendant, spouse of lineal-descendant, and sibling transfer is tax-free; all other transfers are taxed at 10 percent.;*Exemption is $1 million.

Massachusetts’ individual income tax rate decreased at the beginning of December, because state revenues had grown enough to trigger a rate cut from 5.25 percent to 5.2 percent. Last year, the Massachusetts legislature enacted a sales tax on computer software services in 2013, only to repeal it a few months later when it proved unpopular with businesses.

The state has one of the highest cigarette taxes -- at $3.51 per 20-pack, it's second only to New York. Gamblers here might notice that they're taking less in winnings home since last year, when the state started withholding income tax from winnings of more than $600, regardless of the original wager amount.

*Flat rate; **Exemption is $1 million.

The Great Lakes State has a gas tax of 39.1 cents per gallon, the sixth-highest in the country. Michigan, like many other states, gets more in property tax revenue, in percentage terms, than from any other state and local tax. Property tax makes up 37.6 percent of state and local tax collections, followed by general sales tax (26.3 percent), individual income tax (18.8 percent) and corporate income tax (2 percent).

*Flat rate

Tax cuts are coming in after this legislative session. Last year Minnesota became the only state besides Connecticut to impose a gift tax, but this year legislators repealed it. Those who already had paid the tax should look for a check -- the state will refund any payments. Lawmakers also increased estate tax exemption amounts and repealed several “business-to-business” sales taxes -- warehousing or storage services for tangible personal property, repairing and maintaining electronic precision equipment and repairing and maintaining commercial and industrial machinery and equipment.

*Exemption is $1.2 million.

Missouri has the country’s lowest cigarette taxes, at 17 cents per pack. There had been talk of raising that tax, but voters narrowly defeated a tobacco tax initiative in 2012. Low taxes on beer, too: Missouri ranks 49th with a beer excise tax of 6 cents per gallon.

Montana is among the 13 states that tax Social Security income. However, it's also one of five states that don't impose a state-level sales tax. It gets 39 percent of its state and local revenue from property tax.

Nebraska enacted several tax cuts in early April, which include indexing tax brackets for inflation, exempting more Social Security income from taxes, a sales tax exemption for farm machinery, an increase to the state's property tax credit program and the expansion of a property tax homestead exemption.

Note: Transfer to a spouse or charitable organization is tax-free; transfer to descendants and siblings is taxed at 1 percent with a $40,000 exemption; transfers to aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews are taxed at 13 percent with a $15,000 exemption. All other transfers are taxed at 18 percent with a $10,000 exemption.

Nevada’s lack of an income tax makes sales and property taxes crucial revenue generators. And since January, Nevada residents have been paying sales tax on their Amazon.com purchases.

For visitors who make it to Las Vegas for a little fun, Nevada imposes an additional tax of 5 percent to 10 percent on admission, food, refreshments and merchandise. Visitors can gamble from their hotel rooms now, since Nevada was the first state to legalize online gambling last year.

The “Live Free or Die” state doesn’t tax most types of income, other than a 5 percent tax on interest and dividend income. New Hampshire relies heavily on property taxes, getting more than 60 percent of its state and local tax collections from them, according to Tax Foundation data.

New Hampshire may have a tough time following the lead of other states to capitalize on sales of recreational marijuana. In late March the state’s House of Representatives killed a bill that would have legalized small amounts of recreational marijuana for those 21 and up.

*On interest and dividend income, not wages

Same-sex married couples in New Jersey can use a joint tax return for both federal and state income tax filings. And gamblers can choose whether they place their bets by computer or in person, since New Jersey recently started allowing online gambling. In February, online gambling brought $10.3 million in revenue to the state.

*Exemption is $675,000.

Note: Transfer to a spouse, domestic partner, lineal descendant or charitable organization is tax-free; transfer to children-in-law is taxed at 11 percent to 16 percent with a $25,000 exemption; all other transfers are taxed at 15 percent to 16 percent with a $500 exemption.

The fictional home of “Breaking Bad” may not be the ideal place for service providers. New Mexico is one of a handful of states in which services are presumed to be subject to sales tax. It depends more on general sales tax than on other levies for its state and local tax revenue, and collects some of the lowest property taxes in the country, ranking 47th. It doesn't have an inheritance tax, and its gas tax is relatively low at 18.88 cents per gallon. Same-sex couples can file a joint state income tax return, because New Mexico recognizes same-sex marriage.

New York collects more individual income tax per person than any other state: $2,289 as of 2011. And its gas tax of 49.6 cents per gallon is the second-highest in the U.S. But under its recently enacted budget, some New York residents may pay less in property taxes.

A plan was announced earlier this year to allow 20 hospitals to distribute medical marijuana via executive order, but it’s unclear whether the trial program will lead to a larger plan to tax and regulate the herb.

Note: For people who die on or after April 1, 2014, and before April 1, 2015, the exclusion amount is $2,062,500 and the rate range is 3.06 percent to 16 percent. New York is increasing the estate tax exclusion amount over three years. By April 1, 2017, it will be $5,250,000.

North Carolina residents have had to wave goodbye to their tax-free online shopping days. In February, Amazon started collecting sales tax on purchases delivered here, ending a long disagreement with the state. And last year’s first-time-in-a-century Republican control of the state’s executive and legislative branches helped usher in a new era of a flat income tax rate of 5.8 percent, replacing the state’s graduated rate structure.

Like some other states, North Carolina has grappled with how to make up lost gas tax revenue due in part to more fuel-efficient vehicles on the road. Electric car owners now pay a new $100 registration fee.

These are boom times for North Dakota. According to the most recent annual U.S. Census information, the state's severance taxes -- a tax on natural resources taken out of the ground -- accounted for 56.7 percent of its total tax collections in 2012. At the same time, its top income rate of 3.22 percent applies only after the taxpayer’s income reaches $405,100. Retirees are taxed on Social Security income.

There are downsides for some taxpayers in the Roughrider State. It doesn't recognize same-sex marriage, so the couples must allocate income to two single returns using a schedule provided by the state.

Ohio Governor John Kasich has again proposed cutting the income tax, but this time he wants to make up the revenue with a new tax on oil drillers, a hike in the Commercial Activity Tax and a tax increase on cigarettes, tobacco products and electronic cigarettes. The state doesn't recognize same-sex marriages, so couples must allocate their income between two single state returns and use an additional state-provided schedule to determine their state income tax liability.

Oklahoma has a pretty low income tax rate but is one of seven states that tax groceries at the full sales tax rate. Its combined state and local sales tax rate of 8.72 percent ranks fifth-highest among the states. Drivers of gas-guzzlers get a break here -- the state’s 17-cents-per-gallon gas tax ranks 47th in the nation.

Oregonians have no sales tax but pay one of the highest state income tax rates in the country, at 9.9 percent for top filers. That's right behind California and Hawaii. When same-sex married couples in Oregon file their taxes this year, they'll be able to use their federal adjusted gross income on their joint return.

*Exemption is $1 million

Pennsylvania's 3.07 percent flat income tax rate is the lowest top rate of states that impose individual income tax, according to the Tax Foundation, and its property tax collections per capita of $1,305 are 25th lowest nationally. Taxpayers here work until April 17 to earn enough to pay the year's total tax bill.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest corporate income tax rates of the states, at 9.9 percent. Only two jurisdictions -- Iowa (12 percent) and the District of Columbia (9.975 percent) -- have higher rates. Not all of the state’s taxes are high; a recent report found that Pennsylvania has among the lowest taxes on gas drilling in the country.

Rhode Island’s largest source of state and local tax collections is property tax, which makes up 44.7 percent of the collections. Rhode Island allows medical marijuana, but whether it will legalize and then tax adult recreational marijuana is unclear. Governor Lincoln Chaffee indicated in a Bloomberg News interview that he may consider “whether to ‘regulate it and tax it in these tough times.’ ”

*Exemption is $921,655.

For those taking driving vacations this summer, South Carolina would be a good choice for gas tax savings -- its tax of 16.75 cents per gallon is the 48th-lowest in the nation. And if you're a South Carolina taxpayer, the state may owe you money. The IRS recently estimated that South Carolina owes taxpayers $10 million from unclaimed 2010 refunds. Better hurry -- the return filing deadline is April 15.

Since South Carolina doesn't recognize same-sex marriage, couples must make pro forma federal single returns and use that information on their state single returns.

South Dakota's tax-friendly trust laws are among the reasons it is becoming a legal tax shelter for nonresidents, as wealthy families from outside the state finding ways to stash their assets here.

With no income tax, investors in South Dakota are happy to hold on to their capital gains. But shoppers have to shell out a little more in tax than in many other states, because it's one of seven states that don't offer a sales tax break on groceries.

Tourists have long been entertained by the state's thriving music scene. High sales taxes will likely leave them singing the blues. Tennessee has the highest combined state and local sales tax rate, at 9.45 percent, according to the Tax Foundation. It doesn't tax income apart from a 6 percent levy on interest and dividends, and capital gains are exempt. Tennessee has an inheritance tax now (see the note below), but it will be phased out in 2016.

*On interest and dividend income; none on wages**Plus a 2.75 % tax on certain sales worth $1,600.01 and up to $3,200***Tennessee calls this an "inheritance tax," but it functions as an estate tax. The exemption is $2 million.

Texans don't pay state income tax, but some of their income tax savings gets spent on state and local sales tax, ranked 11th in the nation, at 8.15 percent. Property taxes are higher here than in a lot of other states, too, with $1,557 in per-person collections coming in at 15th in the nation. Will that always be the case? One candidate for the state’s comptroller of public accounts recently spoke about getting rid of property taxes. The state is in the middle of a drilling boom that contributed to its 2012-2013 budget surplus.

The state makes solid revenue on so-called sin taxes, including those on alcohol. Utah imposes the eighth-highest state spirits excise tax, at $12.19 per gallon, and the 13th-highest state beer excise tax, at 41 cents per gallon. It also imposes a 10 percent tax on all businesses that feature nude performance. Utah is among the growing number of states that permit same-sex couples to file joint returns for state income tax purposes.

*Flat rate

Vermont is one of 13 states that tax Social Security income and has the highest state and local excise collections per person in the country.

A controversy surrounding the tax treatment of electronic cigarettes is raging in the Green Mountain State. A budget bill that recently preliminarily passed the state House of Representatives includes a 92 percent tax on the wholesale cost of electronic cigarettes.

*Exemption is $2.75 million

Virginia recently enacted special fees on environmentally friendly vehicles, but has kept tax rates low on tobacco. In this tobacco-rich state, the cigarette excise tax rate of 30 cents per pack ranks 49th lowest out of 50.

Last year the Virginia General Assembly passed a sweeping deal to overhaul how the state pays for transportation. This year, the legislature repealed a small part of that act -- a $64 annual fee on electric car owners, meant to ensure that all car owners contribute equally to repairing the state’s roads.

*4.3% state, 1% local; the Tax Foundation includes a “mandatory, statewide, local add-on sales tax” in the state rate.

Washington will start selling recreational marijuana for adults this year, and users should be ready to pay up. The state plans to impose a 25 percent excise tax at each stage of growing, processing and selling cannabis products. The Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast predicted that cannabis-related sales will generate $51 million in taxes and fees for the 2015-2017 budget period. Smoking cigarettes is expensive here, too. Washington imposes the sixth-highest cigarette excise tax in the country, at $3.025 per 20-pack.

*Exemption is $2.01 million

The District of Columbia’s sales tax is the lowest in its local region for the first time in 45 years, according to the Tax Foundation. The D.C. Council (the District’s local governing body) voted last year to cut the previous 6 percent sales tax rate by a quarter of a percentage point to roll back a 2009 increase that was used to cover a budget shortfall. The rate reduction and the fact that there are no other local sales tax rates give Washington, D.C., one of the lowest combined sales tax rates in the country.

Residents may feel the pinch more in property ownership than in retail shopping. Property tax collections are some of the highest in the country, at $2,871 per person.

*Exemption is $1 million.

West Virginia taxes Social Security income, but shoppers are no longer paying sales tax on groceries after the state eliminated that tax last year. Those who didn't file a tax return for 2010 but think they might have a refund coming their way have a short time to get caught up. The IRS recently announced it has $3 million in unclaimed federal tax refunds for West Virginians. The filing deadline to get those refunds is April 15.

The Wisconsin Assembly and Governor Scott Walker recently put through a budget bill that cuts income and property taxes by more than $500 million annually. The lowest individual income tax bracket will be lowered from 4.4 percent to 4 percent. Recent data show that Wisconsin’s property tax per person ranks 12th in the country, at $1,724, according to the Tax Foundation

With no tax on income, capital gains or net corporate income, Wyoming makes up the difference in property taxes. The state has the sixth-highest property tax per person in the country, according to the Tax Foundation.

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"Alabama has the lowest state and local property tax collections per person, .....

At least one obsolete tax law remains on the books here -- a tax for Confederate veterans of the Civil War. The tax now supports the Confederate Memorial Park, which includes a museum."

When travelling south on I-65 to the Gulf Coast beaches, take exit 205 to visit the park. It's a very interesting visit. Veterans from my great great grandfathers unit, Hilliards Legion, are buried there.

despite what the stereotypes say.... california is a shithole full of criminals and degenerates. police are everywhere and every weekend some one gets killed over a female or bad driving. the only good thing is the weather, which is usually too hot for my pale irish prone to melenoma skin.

Once again, when you pay your federal, state, and local income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, gas taxes, and the other myriad of other hidden taxes (like in your phone, cable, and electric bill), and then pile on all of the fees you pay to .gov, you are paying well over 50% of your income to the government. If you are in the higher brackets its probably more like in the 70% range. So for every 10 days you work at least 5 and up to 7 of those working days go to your beloved .gov. Thats about as close to slavery as you can get without actually calling it slavery.

Nice collection of very interesting facts, some of which I have verified in the past.
Fraud is only maintained as long as those that it is exercised upon accept the fraud. Therefore, we could dissolve this nonsense based on money and ownership fraud tomorrow if we could just throw off the chains of What I have come to call 'The Fiction'.
In the meantime each one of us can withdraw consent to the greatest degree possible in our individual circumstances. An analysis of the impact tells me this is significantly impactful to the cabal and the perception that it is not is merely another aspect of 'The Fiction'
Get to it, every step in action is a step toward Liberty.

Bingo! Folks, you DO realize that this is inherent and therefore inevitable, given our monetary and financing system:

When you have (a) fiat currencies, and (b) FRB, it's baked into the very DNA of the system: Ever bigger Debt obligations, which demand ever wider, deeper and newer forms of servicing/taxing said fiat Debt.

Bottom line: You cannot fix it profoundly, w/o changing the Monetary and Banking systems from the ground up. Good luck with that!

I do not have a link handy, but I believe it was Victor Davis Hanson (living in the Central Valley) who maybe a year ago wrote of the desperate state of things there, Mexican drug gangs terrorizing farmers and citizens.

And all the cops do about it is bust hapless drivers for speeding rather than go after the scum.

My experience in California is perhaps three weeks in my whole life. The beauty of your state is wonderful. Too bad, as you write, that they wrecked it.

DCRB that about sums it up. its beauty is equally met with its hidden dangers and outrageous cost of living. every trash day on my street is met with hoards of kids in their 20's scavanging for recyclables-which used to be exclusive to your stereotypical mentally deranged hobo. the lines have been blurred between police and gangsters. going out on the weekends could end up fatal. the cracks in society are beggining to be more and more apparant.

And he does that where? On his family farm that's rented out? In other words, on a farm he doesn't ...farm on? Can you please cite where you got that info from, because it really smells like 1 of 1000 daily lies leftists tell about the right.

Officials in Iran only would say they are aware of the plane and that the passenger is "V.I.P."

HHHHmmmmm ???

Update:

There is one slight clue though. The jet was spotted in Zurich, Switzerland on January 22, 2014, right around the time of the World Economic Forum in Davos. That probably narrows the list down to 2,633 powerful people.

Jarrett was born inShiraz, Iran, to African-American parents James E. Bowman and Barbara Taylor Bowman. Her father, a pathologist and geneticist, ran a hospital for children in Shiraz in 1956, as part of a program where American physicians and agricultural experts sought to help communitize developing countries' health and farming efforts. When she was five, the family moved to London for one year, later moving to Chicago in 1963

n 1991, as Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard Daley, she interviewed Michelle Robinson for an opening in the mayor’s office, after which she immediately offered her the job.[23] Michelle Robinson asked for time to think and also asked Jarrett to meet her fiancé, Barack Obama. The three ended up meeting for dinner. After the dinner, Michelle took the job with the mayor's office, and Valerie Jarrett reportedly took the couple under her wing and “introduced them to a wealthier and better-connected Chicago than their own". She later took Michelle with her when she left the mayor's office to head Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development.

Pat and Moonbeam are more like the family who run North Korea. How the F can a state elect two losers twice to destroy a state over 16 years! The rest of the USA is just as corrupt because there are no real elections.

Moved to Ca. in '72. Watched the dream gradually become a nightmare. I'd leave in a second but the old woman won't.
So here I am. Mid 60s and waiting to be over run by the golden horde. As William Munny said to Little Bill right before he blew his head off.."Fair's got nothin' to do with it."

Make that EXCLUDES CHICAGO AND THE SUBURBS. A house assessed at $450,000 has property taxes of $10,500 a year. This isn't a fancy house, it is 2600 sq. ft. and almost 50 years old. The kitchen cabinets, appliances and bathroom fixtures are old and far from high end. Housing isn't cheap in decent areas, so you're forced to either pay through the nose for some old shack that most likely hasn't been maintained and even more likely hasn't been updated (then it would be even more unaffordable) or rent.

This article far under-emphasizes PROPERTY TAXES. PROPERTY TAXES far exceed any other tax I pay including Federal Income Taxes. Further, while Federal Income Tax is progressive, whereby you cannot be billed for more than you've earned.... PROPERTY TAXES do not consider one's income. PROPERTY TAXES make no concession for those having a bad year or temporary hardship.

The biggest decline in Federal Income Tax revenue has got to be directly related to the Federal deductibility of PROPERTY TAXES. The States have undermined Federal Income Tax revenues on a grand scale via PROPERTY TAXES. The Federal Government is still asleep about this huge undermining and (mis)allocation of the Billions now missed because of State PROPERTY TAXES.

Someday, the Federal Government will awaken to this... as being the biggest Federal Tax diversion ever. And its only getting worse. Last year, I paid well over 30k in PROPERTY TAXES. Its criminal.

http://www.spencerlawfirm.com/Publications/Puerto-Rico-The-New-Tax-Haven.shtml Puerto Rico is alright if you don't mind carrying your own roll of toilet paper with you everywhere except Rinconand a couple of other places, you will need it for the filthy 3rd world bathrooms. It is also imperitive that you make sure that you don't die there or buy a lot of things or ship much in (import/ export and commodities taxes). Their death taxes on property are from 18-50% last I checked. San Juan is a shithole of amazing proportions.

Don't expect to accomplish much their with the Gov as it barely functions. My girlfriend had a sticky note for a drivers license hand written by a cop for 8 months. The crime is bad. To be able to carry a gun you have to go to a BS shooting range for some rediculous period of time, I know people who have done this and still been denied, mostly because the gov doesn't function. Having said that there are areas there that are pretty awesome.

I can say from personal experience that Wa state and Alaska are both fucked for taxes regardless of appearances. ND is okay if your not in Bismarck or Fargo (Sold a place for around 300,000 in patch only 500 in p.taxes that year). Nevada to me seems the supreme state for taxes. There is however, some giant loop hole in Wyoming that big wigs have been using that is supposed to be way better than PR. Shit tonnes of corps and S corps out of P.O. boxes and vacant buildings there. It hasn't been busted yet that I know of.

Yeah....it may be all roses and unicorn skittles in Florida. And Scott talks a good "libertarian" game. But the asshole is not a libertarian.....he's a corporatist. He was also the CEO of Columbia/HCA which was busted for the largest Medicaid fraud scheme in American History. He is a fraud. What he does that the little people think is a good conservative/libertarian thing is simply red meat for the masses. He's behind the scenes still the fraudster/bankster loving/corporatist he has always been.

Plus...he's part of the revolving door system. Hey....your company got busted for fraud....NO PROBLEM.....run for office and enrich your other fraudster friends. All the while throwing a tax cut bone to the masses. And pissing on Obama's every move......(not that Obama doesn't deserve it.....it's simply for agitprop).

There's more to life and liberty than 0% State Income Tax and relatively low sales tax.

There's the pride and honor of knowing your Governor is not a felon and a crook. We don't have that.

Plus.....we have fairly high property tax. Which means nobody here owns shit. We have to pay for a driver's license, our car tags and have to have insurance in order to own a car....at least own a car AND be able to drive it. Otherwise....they take it away.

So....you don't own your property and you don't own your transportation.

Here's why a 0% State income tax is important. It means that your state is not collecting information about where you work, how much you make, how much you earn from investments, etc. The IRS shares your financial information with state tax agencies, and I know that California pays close attention to the information they get from the feds.

Look junior.....go back to your X-Box down in mom's basement. I'm not crying over shit. I dropped out of the system long ago. I don't vote. Not local....not state...not federal. I haven't in 15 years. Never will again.There was a time when some....some.....politicans were honorable statesmen. As much as any human can be. Those days are long gone. After all....look at the population where these assholes come from. Us. We the Sheeple.

I live in Portland Oregon and the state is so backwards. Broke, poor leadership, high taxes, very high property taxes, terrible schools. My property taxes alone: I pay $5700 a year just for Portland school district. My entire property tax bill in Multnomah county is 14k a year. The district constantly gets voter support for homeowners to pay higher taxes to fund their PERS. Why is is t all citizens in Portland can vote for property tax increases when many of the people voting do not even own a home? Shouldn't home owners (the ones paying the tax) be the ones that get to vote for said levy & increases? Business taxes are terrible too. Many companies cross the river into Washington and enjoy a much better environment for growing a company. The only two big companies left are Nike, Adidas , & Intel which all negotiated sweetheart tax deals after threatening to leave.

True enough... unfortunately, Oregon has long been infested with a nest of vipers known as the LCDC (Land Conservation and Development Commission) which lets a handful of bunny-fuckers control all zoning and land use statewide.

After 18+ years of dealing/arguing/ignoring those assholes, I finally got disgusted enough to sell my farm in Klamath County and move my business to Idaho.

I-duh-ho ain't perfect, but at least the Mormon folk who are the controlling majority in my new neighborhood have got sense enough not to shit in their own backyard.

I have bad news for you. While I always applaud the removal of a a gun and badge thug department, the removal of your sheriffs office leaves only the local federalized wolves.

As soon as I read your comment, my first thought was that there was a federal connection to the demise of the office--Sheriffs tend to be more independent and more answerable to the people.

Sure enough, the feds have used environmentalism and regs to stymie timber sales and the associated revenue sharing to the neighboring counties.

Your area of Oregon tends to be highly non pro-government. Funny thing is, it seems that counties that are not pro-government, like in your area, are the only ones suffering enough to have to make a decision like getting rid of the sheriffs office.

Sorry, but the fix is in. Pay more attention to your local gun and badge thugs.

"In today's DC US, NOTHING is as it seems, unless you assume violence and corruption."

Alabama has a Mercedes Benz factory, a Honda factory, a Hyundai factory, a Remington plant, a Steyr plant, an Airbus factory and Thyssen Krupp built the largest steel mill in the entire world here. Volkswagen is just over the line in Chattanooga. None are union plants. Each has created spin off supplier companies that have to be located close by.

Low taxation attracts new investment. People and money are moving south.

"Low taxation attracts new investment. People and money are moving south. "

Yeah...because your slave labor is cheap. And the slaves now are both black AND white. Ill educated, ill prepared drones putting together parts that the robots haven't already been programed to do. But give the coder's time.

Then all the glorious job creating companies you mentioned won't have to pay anyone but the programmers and the robot maintenance guys. And the companies will still have low taxes and any other incentives our whores in government gave them.

And guess where the first place the whore will go after leaving (or getting booted out of) office ? Those companies they lured here with low taxes, low wage slave labor and NO unions to bother them.

Ummm, didn't Volkswagen just try to convince their "low wage slaves" to organize under the UAW? And didn't these "drones" just tell Volkswagen and UAW to pound sand? Reality is calling - will you accept the charges?

So you think high taxation equals educated and prepared? You should see what comes out of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Yes, there are a handful of good ones, but the majority are crap. That's why people move to the suburbs when their children are ready to enter school or pay astronomical amounts for private school. When someone says or does something stupid around the Chicago area anymore, we just say, "CPS."

Wages in those factories start at $20 an hour. That isn't a slave wage, especially in a low tax, low cost of living State like Alabama. Having recently toured the Mercedes factory and having done IT work at Honda, I can assure you there are plenty of actual humans working on the lines.

There are also a myriad of smaller spin off supplier companies that locate next door to these plants. They hire actual humans as well.

You really shoud try knowing a little about a topic before spouting off. It makes you look stupid.

I'm from the Gadsden area; I have an uncle, a cousin, a close friend, and know others who work at the Honda plant. I know it may be difficult for some clueless urbanites to believe, but these folks are quite happy to have that job and to be working for a great company like Honda. It's a company they can be proud of. The Japanese run a tight ship, produce a quality product, and they take care of their employees. The wages they pay are quite good for this area, and better than just about anything most unskilled laborers could hope to find elsewhere. So what's not to like?

higher tax states tend to be wealthier states. you gotta pay for good stuff. the problem now are the legacy retirement benefits overwhelming budgets causing tax increases. the low tax states have not yet had to deal with legacy issues from a hundred years of big .gov bureaucracy.

Texas is really school district by school district in the urban areas. Dallas will run you 2.4% property tax.

To be honest, the most fair tax is a head tax. Same taxed amount per
Person. "Progressives" hate it because they think it's not equal. But nothing gets more equal than charging everyone the same amount.

Catullus, that is one thing that drives me crazy about property taxes. In my neighborhood, we all get the same services from the county. Snow removal, road repair, fire protection. But yet, because I have a bit nicer house than my neighbors I should pay more for that? Because I take care of my stuff and keep it looking nice I should pay more for that? It is a joke to be sure.

Completely agree. I never understood what gave the government the right to tax you for owning a home. Nobody is truely a homeowner if the government can levy a tax lein. We are all renting from the government, some with a bank mortgage, some without.

agreed, I am single and no kids, imagine how much joy bring me to pay for other kids free education (many of them sons or illegal aliens) and for hospitals I cannot use because I also pay for medical insurance

Damn, never thought of that. I just put on a new roof, gutters and downspouts and will have my house painted in a week or so. "Protecting" my "investment". Tax assessor may just jack up my valuation, huh?

I spent a few days in the most beautiful place on the planet: Coronado. There was a 900 sf "house" sitting atop a garage in someone's backyard that abbutted an alley. Asking price: $900k. This was in 2006 or 2007.

Yep.. two good reasons from hundreds, I grew up in the sixties in So.Cal. and that experience was night and day from the hell hole it's grown into; consider the fact that until the ninety survey California was a conservative state that regularly voted for responsible leadership- even now if you get away from the LA and the Bay Area shitholes people are relatively normal.

I will never again step foot in that unholy unicorn preserve for any reason- Arizona has reasonable laws that protect our second amendment rights- and yes- John McTraitor not serving life in prison for his crimes is inexplicable.

Hordes of migrating Californians that jeapordize local tax laws and freedoms as soon as they show up in large numbers. Example: North Idaho, attempt: Montana. Their like the plague everyone fears their impact in large numbers. Nobody would mind all their unicorn bs if they would just keep it to themselves.

Just move south and raise your middle finger when exiting your former state boundary. You'll never spend another dime in that state. Tit for tat. Fuck the K street lobbiest's who sold development programs to undermine growth by unplayable debt.

New Mexico is one of a handful of states in which services are presumed to be subject to sales tax. It depends more on general sales tax than on other levies for its state and local tax revenue, and collects some of the lowest property taxes in the country, ranking 47th.

Of course, we're a poor state, and if the state grafted too much off of the people, they'd quickly find out that many New Mexicans spent what little disposable income they have on beer and guns.

Unless things have changed since I last looked taxing labor (which most service jobs are), is federally exempted by law. When oy have some work done check your bill to be sure labor is not taxed. Milestones

Now all you need is a sequel post-tax season to this one that illustrates the arbitrary tax law language that purports to "open theft" associated with each States progressive yearly increase in property tax assessments and income tax collection charter(s).

And so even though it says Florida has a surplus of 1.2 BILLION fucking dollars, they're still going to start forcing Amazon.com to charge 7% sales tax starting May 1st. It's only estimated to gather around 40 Million dollars but they still said, "Hey, what the fuck...let's force Floridians to pay a sales tax on internet orders anyway.". 40 Million is nothing compared to the money they bring in, but they're going to do it anyway. They're even going to open up a huge Amazon warehouse in my county of Hillsborough County (where Tampa is), and so our orders will be literally just miles away and we'll still get charged shipping costs along with the new sales tax.